Building unit and construction made therefrom



R. R. coLBURN 2,318,058

Filed Dec. 23, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet l fnveM/Zor kio rneg.;

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BUILDING UNIT AND CONSTRUCTION MADh` THERFROM May 4, 1943.

May 4, 1943. R. n. COLBURN 2,318,058

BUILDING UNIT AND CONSTRUCTION MADE THEREFROM Filed Dec. 23, 1940 4 Sheets-Shed? s# Nix N fnven/Zor Aorn/egs' n l4 Sheets-Sheet 3 B R. R. COLBURN Filed Dec. 23, 1940 wlw BUILDING UNIT AND CONSTRUCTION MADE THERFROM May 4, 1943.

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A May 4, 1943. R, R. coLBuRN 2,318,058

y BUILDING UNIT AND CONSTRUCTION yMADE THEREFROM Y* n Filed Dc. 2s, 1940 4 sheds-sheet 4/ O I N60 y Y Y y Y15 f" Patented May 4, 1943 .2,318,058lv l BUILDING `UNIT AND CONSTRUCTION- l MADE-THEREFROM Richard R. Colburn, Minneapolis, Minn. y Application December 23, 1940, Serial No."37`1', 231

14 Claims.

This invention relates to building building constructionsmade therefrom and it units andv relates particularly to quickly erected lowcost building constructions. v

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide a novel and improved skeleton building unit which can belassembled with other similar units to provide a skeleton reenforceinent fora building wall to which `concrete such as pneumatic concrete can be applied to complete'the'buildig Wall. Another Objectis to provide improvements on the invention disclosed in my application for U. Sr

patent entitled Building unit and construction made therefrom, Serial No. 368,578, led December 5, 1940. v v

' More specifically it is an object of theinvention to provide a novel and improved skeleton metal ,reenforcement forming a buildingunit to which concrete such as pneumatic concretecan be applied Which can be Ajoined to other adjacent unitsV and which includes ametal frame, a pan-shaped metal mesh attached thereto,'a backing sheet attached to the frame, andspaced fromthe-main body of the` mesh to carry concrete such-as pneumatic concrete that may be applied thereto.

Yet anotherobject is to provide a buildingstructure vincluding a reenforced metal 'frame work, consisting of separate frame units which can be set upa-nd connected-together and-to'which units when so set up, pneumatic concrete can 4be applied as by a pneumatic gun to-produce a monolithic wall. v f

yStill-another object is to provide a low cost building structure, which can with a minimum of expense and laborand can be built up into floors, side walls, roof and thelike and wherein window frames, d oor frames etc. can be incorporated. f

The'objects and advantages of theinvention be erected quickly l to morev clearly illustrate the construction'of other Fig. 5 is a view looking towardA one edge of the skeleton buildingunit shown in Fig. 3, Figs. 3, 4 Aand being in -largerscale than Figs. land 2;

Fig. 6 isa horizontal section through a wall of a building built in accordance with the invention-showinga door frame structure andl external Comer;

Fig. 7 lisv another horizontal section through ak wall embodying, the invention, showing a window frame structure and an internal corner vstructure: f 1;

Fig.` 8 a vertical section taken throughfa building incorporating.thepresent invention; and

will more fully appear from the followingdescription made in connection Withthe accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the various views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a small one story building embodying my invention, some portions being bro-kenv Way to show the interior` structure, and some portions being shown in' vertical section;

Fig. 2- is a vertictu section taken substantiauy on the line 2-2 ofFig,4 1 as `is indicated by the arrows; l i Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of theskeleton building units employed, some parts being brokenlway hydrated vform frame I0 formed Fig. 9 is a viewy in front elevation of portions of a pair of interconnected skeleton building units., The basic elements of'my improved "building i construction comprise elongated pan-shaped Y skeleton building unitsl forming metal reenforcements with coupling means at the edges thereof.l

vThese are 'first set up and assembled together and are sealed, interconnected, reenforced and bonded together-in assembled relation to form monolithic walls, iloors and roofs by means" of `r pneumatic concrete or other plastic building material preferably applied to the units in'slightly time, vso-called pneumatic concrete is used to coat walls and other surfaces and is applied by spray gun from a' dryl mixture ofceme'n't and sandby blowingthe 'saineunder'high air pressure from the gun; water being added atthe nozzle lofthe gun through a'ring'fvalvein'justsuiiicient quantity to hydrate the cement.

Referringlto the drawings, there is shown in( detail in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 a skeleton building unit .A whichis typical of the principal unitA` employed.

The unit A includesjanelongated rectangular preferablylof'angle iron; The frame is preferably formed `of 'a single angle bar forming sidesandends of the frame with lateral v anges o f the sides 'and-endsdi'sposed in the same plane and what willbe called outwardly projecting ilanges lying in In'making the frame- |0,'s`lits are cuil Aat spaced Ypoints throughone 'angefof an angle bar and bar is bent atright the other flangefof the angle Y angles at the` points where these slits are cut Vto form the endsand sides of the frame I Uand the 4 v throughgthemedium ofa spray gun' operating under air pressure at'ythe present A planesnormal to the lateral flanges and joining the inside edges ofthe lateral l are preferably provided, ably used below window frames, and

l shape while the pally of the units 2 two ends of the non-slit flange of the angle bar are brought into abutment at one corner of the frame and there welded together. The lateral flanges of the frame which may be designated Ia in counter-distinction to the outwardly projecting flanges which may be designated IIIb, are equipped with bolt receiving slots Ic to permit connection of one unit A to adjacent y Extending across the frame I0 4at the outer side thereof and bearing against the outer edges of the flanges lub is a rectangular sheet II. sheet I I may be either a stiff building paper such for example, as corrugated asphalt sheet; it may be a sheet of insulating material, such as an insulating board; or it may be a metal sheet. The skeleton building unit A also includesl a panshaped foraminous reenforcement- I2,preferably made of metal lath as shown` which encloses the outwardly extending flanges 10b of the frame I0," bridges the sheet II and is secured at its edges as by welding or the liketo the external sides of the flanges Ib of the frame III. The main body of the reenforcement or metal lath l2 is spaced outwardly from the sheet II and the outer edges vof the reenforcement are rounded as shown and the sheet I I is preferably caught and held in place against the flanges I0b by means of this reenforcement although it will, of course, be understood that the sheet II can be otherwise held in position if so desired. y

In addition to the skeleton units A which are made preferably of a length corresponding to one stcry'of a building structure, other units B and C the units B being preferthe units' C being preferably used above window frames and door frames. These .units B and C are identical tothe units A .with the exception that the'units This I n Band o areof shorter' 1ength than the units A `and' the'units B and C rdiifer in length. Other units D which are shown in the drawings as being employed as floor units are also. provided which correspond to the units A in construction but are ofsproper length for extension from the units A to form fioors ofthe desired length. VThere are also provided a number of skeleton building units E, F, G, Hand I which are constructed along thev linesv of the unit A butwhich are used asgable units and for this reason'are of other than Yrectangular shape. The unltsfE arev of triangular units F, G, Hand I are'oftrape zoid shape, but differ respectively to eachother in length. The frames of. these units E, .F, G, H

, and I are also `made of angle iron preferably to .Whichcsheets are appliedand to which panshaped reenforcements preferably of metal lath are secured in much the same manner as in the case of the units A.

In erecting a building in accordance with Vthe ypresent inventio a foundation or `footing I3 as of concrete Orcement blocks is rst prepared. Then a skeleton metal reenforcement structure is erected on`this foundation composed princi- In erecting the skeleton walls for the building, a plurality of the units A,- B and C are employed.

For example, two of the units Aare first set up I vertically, onealong sidevof the other, withV the two units overlapping adjacent flanges I Ila ofthe and withA the lower flanges Illa of the units resting on the foundation I3. y Between the adjacent units, vertical channelsr Ilfare 'thus' formed. Eye

bolts I5 `are employed for securing together the overlapped flanges Illa of the adjacent units A. These eye bolts nt within the channels I4 and vso A. B. 0.5m, c, n, and 1.

have screw threaded Shanks which project through mating slots IIlc of the overlapped fianges Illa. Nuts I6 threaded onto the Shanks of the eye bolts I5, bear against the outer overlapped ange Illa of the assembled units.V Washers I1 received by the shanks'of the eye bolts I5, bear against the inner side of the inner lapped flange Illa of the two units. Extending vertically at the inner side of the twoV units A opposite the channel I 4 is a channel iron I8 through which the Shanks of the eye bolts I5 extend and this channel is tightly clamped against the washers I1 by means of nuts I9 threaded onto the inner ends of the shankssof the eye bolts I5. As best shown in Fig.

lath 2| and'around the channels I8. The purpose of the washers I'I-is to space'the channels I8 fromy the inner side of theinner over-lapped flange Illa of adjacentrunits so that the wires 22 can be workedf around the channels I8.

In forming anexternal corner for thcwall as shown in Fig-6 two of the units A are set at right angles Y relativev to`'each other vand the adjacent flanges Illay are not `overlapped but are located closely together as shown with eye bolts I5 to which'channels I8'are secured being connected to each -of the two adjacent fianges I0a of the adjacent units. V-sh'aped reenforcing rods 23 are employed at the external corner in conjunction with the eye bolts I5. These V-sh-aped reenforcing rods 23 have eyes at bothends thereof and at the angle thereof.I Reenforcing rods 20 are locatedat the corner, three rods being used andtwoof these rods are received within eyes of the eye bolts I5 and within eyes' at the ends of the V-shaped reenforcing rods 23, while theY third rod 2l) is received withinthe eyes of the V-shaped reenforcing rods 23 at the angles thereof.

When it is desired toproduce an internal corner structure for the building as shown in Fig. '7, 4the adjacent units A are set up as shown'at right angles to each other and in place ofthe eye bolts I5, the adjacent flanges I0a of the two units are connected together and to the'channels I8 employed by means of curved' rods 24 which have screw-threaded Shanks` at both ends which run throughthe slots IIJc of the adjacent f ianges Illa and carry the nuts I6, washers I'I, channels -.I8, and the nuts I9. W l

s In setting up the skeleton frame work -for the building, a door frame 25 withinwhich 'a door 26 may be mounted ,may be readily connected to 4spaced adjacent .uni'tsAA by securing the same as to strips 21 secured asgbyv bolts 28 to the `flanges Illa. incorporated inthe wall structure, ,the proper Of course, when-a door `frame is spacing between adjacent units' -A .is made to take the door'fram'e, the units employed being preferably of such width that the Width of aA pluraiity of the units such as two of them will correspond to the width of a `standard door frame.

Over the door frame, unitsC maybe employed,

vthe lower flanges Illaof which are tied to the header of thezdoor frame in thersame manner that the jambs of the door frame are 'tied to the adjacent iianges IIla of the adjacent units A.

'Whenever it 'is desired to mount a window frame in the wallstructure, such las the window frame 29, shown in Fig. 7, and also in Figs. 1 and 2, this is readily accomplished by interposing a plurality of the units B between the lower portions of a pair of units A, and by interposing a plurality of the units C between the upper portions of the same units A. If metal window frames, such as the frame 29 are employed, having frame structures of Z-bar construction, these frames may be directly secured to the flanges Illa of the units A by bolts 30 and the sillsand headers of the frames may be similarly secured respectively to the upper flanges Illa of the units B, and the lower anges Ia of the units C. The width of the units A, B and C is such that the width of a plurality of to the width of standard window frames.

In erecting a floor skeleton'for the building, if the span is greater than the length of lthe units A, preferably' an I-beam 3| is supported at vboth ends in the foundation wall I3, intermediate two sides of this wall. Units A laid horizontally and assembled together in the same manner as in the building wall are then run across between one of the foundation walls and the I-beam 3|, so that the anges Illa at the ends lof the units A rest on the foundation wall I3, a'nd the I-beam 3|. Thereupon other units D of the proper length are run across between the I-beam 3| and the opposite foundation wall I3 in alignment with the oor units A already laid.

When a two story building structure is desired, units A forming the skeleton walls of the upper story may be connected to units A forming the skeleton wall of the lower story as shown in Fig. 8 by means of T-irons 32 which have openings formed in the flanges thereof to receive the eye bolts I5. Horizontal channels 33 are then formed between the upper and lower units A and the adjacent anges Illa of the upper and lower units are secured to the T-irons by means of the eye bolts I which lie within this channel 33. Horizontal reenforcing rods 34 are preferably disposed within the channel 33 and received within the eyes of the eye bolts I5 there located. A skeleton second oor formed from the units A and D may then be supported on the inwardly projecting flanges of the T-irons 32 and if desired paper-backed metal lath 35 for a. ceiling can be suspended below the second iloor from the units A and Din the same manner that the paperbacked metal lath 2| for the side walls is secured thereto. In the case of the second iloor, however, the eye bolts I5 to which the ceiling lath 35 is secured, preferably run through the inner flanges of the T-irons 32.

Preparatory to erecting the roof skeleton for the building, gable units, such as the gable units E, F, G, H and I are first erected at the end walls of the building structure, these units being secured to the underlying units A or C, as the case may be, by overlapping the lower flanges Illa of the gable units with the upper flanges Illa of the underlying units A and C and interconnecting such flanges by the eye bolts I5 through which reenforcing rods 20 pass in exactly the same manner as adjacent units A are interconnected. Thereupon units A as best shown in Figs. 2 and 8, or other corresponding units of the proper length are laid diagonally from the tops of the side wall skeletons across to an I-beam 36 laid across the peaks of the two skeleton end walls. In order to tie the lower ends of the roof units A to the side walls, as well as to support a ceiling paper-backed metal lath 31 in place, angle irons 33 may be these units corresponds cured to the upper anges of the angle and also wiredor otherwise secured to the lower 3 bolted tothe upper flanges Illa of the upper\` side wall units A. v

To tie the roof units A to the angle irons 38 eye bolts 39 are employed, the eyes of which project downwardly from the channels. between adjacent units A ofthe roof .construction and which are secured to the upwardly extending flanges of the angle irons 38 by means of bolts 40. To enclose the space between the upper edges ofthe angle irons 38 and the lower ends of the roof units A, paper-backed metal lath 4I is employed which may be wired or otherwise seirons 38 anges Illa of the roof units A. The paperbacked metal lati.- 31 for forming a ceiling immediately underlying the roof may be securedV to channels II) and these channels in turn may be supported -by bolts 42 from the inner flanges of the angle irons 38.

It will be seen that the entire skeleton structure for the building may be erected without employing bracing, forms lor scaiolding which must be later wrecked. It will also `be seen that the various units when assembled as described are tied together so as to form a steel interconnecting structure wherein the various walls, oor ceiling, and roof are all tied together.

After the skeleton structure has thus been erected, the entire building structure can be quickly completed by applying pneumatic concrete to the external and internal faces of the structure to produce a monolithic building. The exterior coating which is `designated 43 is applied by spraying the concrete from a. concrete gun as before described lto ll the channels I4 and 33 and lto illl the spaces between the main bodies v ofthe expanded reenforcements I2 and the sheets As the pneumatic concrete is first applied by spraying against one of the units A, for example, it works through the kexpanded reenforcement I2 against the sheet I| and thereupon the concrete is built up at the exterior of the reenforcement I2 to produce an exterior coating of concrete 43 for the unity and for the wall of the desired thickness. Naturally, the reenforcing rods 20 and 34 are embedded in the concrete and by reasonof the filling of the channels I4 and 33, concrete pillars or columns and concrete beams are formed in the wallv which greatly strengthen the same.

ACorner columns are also formed as shown in Fig.

6 which embed the rods 20 at the corners as well as the reenforcement rods 23. 'I'he roof is given the same treatment as the walls of the building as are the various oors of the building. Pneumatic concrete can also be sprayed onto the paper-backed metal lath 2| 44 for the building, or if desired this lath may be plastered in a conventional manner. Ceilings may be similarly formed. Preferably as the wall surfaces are formed, a screed is run over the same to smooth the walls. With a concrete gun the application of the concrete to the skeleton frame o1 the building can be quickly accomplished with a minimum of labor. An exceedingly strong building structure is produced at a minimum of labor cost.

By reason of the fact that all the concrete is applied to the skeleton frame of the building structureproduced by my various units, after the skeleton frame is erected, the various units employed are of light construction and can be readto form internal walls transportation of heavy concrete precast units to the job or the manufacture of such precast concrete units at the building site. It also eliminates the diillculty of handling such heavy precast units and the dangers attendant thereto.

The various units of my construction are flexible enough so they can be assembled to produce practically any desired type of building construction.

It will be readily appreciated that in place of using the channels I8 at the inner sides of my various units wood strips could be substituted therefor to which wall board can be nailed, if it is desired to finish off the interior wall with wall board. Also, if desired, the spaces between the metal lath 2| and the sheets Il I can be filled with any suitable type of insulating material tofurther insulate the walls. The air spaces, however, between the inner and outer walls of themselves form very good insulation against heat transmission and as before stated, the sheets Il can be insulation board to further increase the insulating efficiency of the building.

As used in the claims the word wall shall be taken to mean walls proper, roofs, floors, or the like.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, proportions and arrangements of the various parts without departure from the scope of the present invention which, generally stated, consists in the matter shown and described and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A skeleton building unit comprising a metal frame, a backing'sheet extending across said frame at one side thereof and a pan-shaped foraminous reenforcement secured at its edges to said frame and bridging said backing sheet and frame at the same side of said frame as said backing sheet.

2. A skeleton building unit comprising a metal frame, a backing sheet extending across said frame at one side thereof and a pan-shaped foraminous reenforcement secured at its edges to said frame and bridging said backing sheet, and frame at the same side of said frame as said backing sheet, said frame having lateral attachment anges at its side opposite said backing sheet.

3. A skeleton building unlt'to which concrete may be applied comprising a rectangular frame, a pan-shaped foraminous concrete holding reenforcement member attached at its edges to said frame and having a frame bridging portion spaced from one side of said frame and a backing sheet extending across the frame in spaced relation from said frame bridging portion of said member but at the same side of said frame as said frame bridging portion.

4. A skeleton building unit comprising'a rectangular frame of angle iron construction having lateral attachment flanges lying in the same plane and main flanges lying in planes normal to the plane of said attachment flanges. a Panshaped foraminous reenforcement the edges of which overlap and are secured to main flanges of said frame and a backing sheet extending across the frame and interposed between said main flanges and the pan-shaped reenforcement and forming a base against which concrete can be applied to be held by the reenforcement.

5. A skeleton building construction comprising, a plurality of building units each including a metal frame having an outer side and an inner side, a backing sheet extending across said frame at the outer side thereof, a pan-shaped foraminous reenforcement secured at its edges to said frame to bridge said backing sheet at the outer side of said frame and outwardly from said backing sheet and attachment flanges projecting at the edges of said frame, said units being located in side-by-*side relation with the adjacentattachment flanges of adjacent units overlapped, and means securing together the overlapped attachment flanges.

6. The structure defined in claim 5, and paper backed metal lath attached to said units at the sides thereof opposite said foraminous reenforcement.

7. A skeleton building Wall to which concrete can be applied comprising, a plurality of skeleton building units, each unit including a metal frame having an outer side and an inner side, a backing sheet extending across the outer side of the frame, a pan-shaped foraminous reenforcement secured to the frame and bridging the backing sheet at the outer side of the frame, and connecting flanges at the inner side of said frame, said units being assembled in side-by-side relation with the connecting flanges of adjacent units being overlapped, eye boltsprojecting through and interconnecting the overlapped flanges and reenforcing rods carried 4by the eyes of said eye bolts.

8. A skeleton building wall to which concrete can be applied comprising, a plurality of skeleton building units, each unit including a metal frame having an outer side and an inner side,a backing sheet extending across the outer side of the frame, a pan-shaped foraminous reenforcement secured to the frame and bridging the backing sheet at the outer side of the frame, connecting flanges at the inner side of said frame, said units being assembled in side-by-side relation with the connecting anges of adjacent units being overlapped, bolts securing together the overlapped flanges of adjacent units', and bars secured at the inner sides of said units to said bolts and forming supports for an inner Wall.

9. A skeleton building wall to which concrete can be applied comprising, a plurality of skeleton building units, each unit including a metal frame having an outer side and an inner side, a backing sheet extending across the outer side of the frame, a pan-shaped foraminous reenforcement secured to the frame and bridging the backing sheet at the outer side of the frame, connecting flanges at the inner side of said frame, said units being assembled in side-by-side relation with the connecting flanges of adjacent units being overlapped, securing members holding together the overlapped flanges of adjacent units, bars at the inner sides of said units attached to said securing members, and inner wall sheets located at the inner sides of said units and attached to said bars.

l0. A skeleton building wall to which concrete can be applied comprising, a plurality of skeleton building units, each unit including a metal frame having an outer side and an inner side, a backing sheet extending across the outer side of the frame, a pan-shaped foraminous reenforcement secured to the frame and bridging the backing sheet at the outer side of the frame, connecting flanges at the inner side of said frame, said units being assembled in side-by-side relation with the connecting flanges of adjacent units being overlapped, securing members holding together the overlapped flanges of adjacent units,

bars at the inner sides of said units attached to said securing members, and paper-backed metal lath attached to said bars.

11. A skeleton building construction to which concrete can be applied comprising, a plurality of skeleton building units. each unit including a metal frame having an outer side and an inner side, a backing sheet extending across the outer side of the frame, a pan-shaped foraminous reenforcement secured to the-frame and bridging the backing sheet at the outer side of the frame and connecting anges at the inner side oi' said frame, certain of said units being assembled in side-by-side relation with the connecting flanges oi' adjacent units being overlapped to form channels between adjacent units, eye bolts projecting through and interconnecting the overlapped ilanges of adjacent units andhaving eyes disposed within saidchannels and reeniorcing rods disposed within said channels and carried by the eyes of said eye bolts.

12. A -building construction comprising, a plurality of skeleton building units each unit including a metal frame having an outer side and an inner side, a backing sheet-extending across the outside of the frame, a pan-shaped i'oraminous reeni'orcement secured to the frame and bridging the backing sheet at the outer side of the frame and connecting flanges at the inner side of said frame, certain of said units being assembled in side-by-side relation with the con'- necting anges of vadjacent units being overlapped, securing members holding together the overlapped anges of adjacent units, and a monolithic coating of concrete applied to the exterior of said units, lling the spaces between adjacent units, iilling the spaces between said backing i sheets and said foraminous reenforcements, em-

bedding said foraminous reenforcements and extending outwardly therefro 13. 'Ihe structure defined in claim 12, said securing members being eye bolts and the spaces between adjacent units forming channels within lwhich the eyes of the eye bolts are received, re-

enforcing rods disposed within said channels and received by the eyes of said eye bolts and said concrete embedding the eyes of said eye bolts and said reenforcing rods therein and filling said channels.

14. The structure defined in claim 12, bars secured to said securing members at the inner sides oi' said units and an inner wall carried by said bars in spaced relation from said units.

RICHARD R. COLBURN. 

